


The Faithful

by Snacky



Category: Chronicles of Narnia - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Crisis of Faith, Gen, Missing Scene, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-18
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2019-03-21 00:33:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13729347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snacky/pseuds/Snacky
Summary: If Queen Lucy ever despaired, then Narnia was lost- Lucy has a crisis of faith. Missing scene from thePrince Caspianmovie.





	The Faithful

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Tumblr for the prompt: _For Narnia, can you do "I wish you hadn't told me"?_ from onceuponadisneypotter.

While the others prepare for the raid on the Telmarine castle, Lucy stays in the deepest chamber of the How, curled up on the cracked Stone Table, watching the flames flickering on the carving of Aslan on the wall.

Perhaps she should be helping with the preparations, but she's not to be part of the raid, her body too young for the battle ahead, and Lucy feels she's where she's needed most. Peter may bluster and pretend that this fight is all on him, and Susan and Edmund will support him when he needs it, but Lucy hasn't lost faith in Aslan. Not quite.

She can't imagine him abandoning the Narnians when they needed him most — but perhaps that's it. They haven't needed him _most._ Not yet anyway. Still, it troubles her, just as it troubles her that she's a child again here in her own land, that they all are — she understands how Peter feels, truly she does. Just… she's always had faith that Aslan would make it right, in his own time. Still, staring at his image upon the wall, she can't help but wonder why this all had to happen, and why it had to happen this way.

Some days it's hard to be faithful, just as some days it was hard to be Valiant. When Lucy was Queen, she was known for her faith, for her bravery, for her always positive outlook. She's tried hard to hold on to that, since they stumbled back to their first world, a world she barely remembered, into a body and life she'd left a lifetime ago. 

_If Queen Lucy ever despaired, then Narnia was lost_ — it was a popular saying back during their reign. She wonders now if there's anyone who ever heard the phrase uttered, who ever imagined the Queen it was about. She wonders too if anyone would notice if she despaired now, and if she did… would it be true? Would Narnia be lost?

"This would be so much easier if I could just find you," she says to Aslan, but there's no response. At least not from him.

"Lu? Who are you talking to?"

It's Edmund, come to check on her, she supposes. She turns and sees him coming through the doorway, and waves to him. "Myself, I suppose. What are you doing down here? I thought you were all readying yourself for the raid."

He walks slowly across the room, keeping his eyes on the image of Aslan as he comes, finding a spot on the table next to her. "Yes, well, my part is set. Peter and Caspian are both trying to out-King each other, and Su's cleaning up any messes they make. You know how she is."

Lucy nods. She does know how their sister is — efficient, practical, diplomatic, clever, all traits that many miss at first, thanks to her beauty. "She probably has everything whipped into shape already."

Edmund nods. "And we're not leaving for hours yet!" 

Lucy doesn't ask how Peter's holding up, and Edmund doesn't explain. They sit in companionable silence for a while, both gazing at the same image, although Lucy imagines Edmund's thoughts are far different than her own. Edmund had faith in Aslan, even more than she perhaps, but Edmund's faith doesn't preclude action. Perhaps that's what Lucy's missing, sitting here. The others are all doing something, at least, while she sits here, lost in silence.

"I asked Trufflehunter what he knew about the destruction of Cair Paravel," Edmund says eventually. He says it in a mild voice, but Lucy feels a shiver of dread run down her spine.

"And?"

"He told me of a great battle against the Telmarines, King Caspian the Conqueror and his armies attacking the castle. He told me how the Narnians fought to defend it, how the Narnian Queen led her people in battle valiantly — " Lucy can't help but wince at the word, and Edmund pauses. "— Sorry, Lu. She fought until she was killed, and the Narnians continued to fight, and they called on Aslan again and again. But Trufflehunter said from the stories he's been told, that it was never a battle they would win. It was a miracle that anyone survived, honestly." He continues, telling her all that Trufflehunter told him, about the many days and nights the Narnians spent defending Cair Paravel, how their numbers dwindled, and the final battle that left the Cair in ruins and the Narnians scattered and hiding for their lives.

So many Narnians dead, and where were _they_ when their people needed them? Where was Aslan? Lucy bites her lip, and tries not to let the emotion show in her voice when finally speaks. "I wish you hadn't told me, Ed."

"What?" Edmund turns to look her, surprise plain on his face. "Why would you say that?"

Lucy stares back him, and now she can't hide her feelings. "Why would I want to hear about all the Narnians dying? How they suffered and were lost and we weren't there, and Aslan never came—"

"Lucy." His voice is calm. "Were you not listening to me?"

She shakes her head. "I heard what you said."

"And did you miss the part where I said it was a miracle they survived? The Narnians survived, Lucy. They could have all been killed, every single one. The survived that final battle and they've survived hundreds of years until now. It was a miracle," he repeats. "Aslan may not have shown up to help them like they hoped, but he helped them all the same." He looks back at the carving on the wall. "He'll help us too, I think. Just maybe not the way we're expecting."

And there it is, the faith she's been looking for. She gazes at Aslan's image, and realizes that for all her criticism of Peter, she's been just as bad. Expecting Aslan's help the way she wants it. She has to be faithful, and remember that he'll always send help to her, to all the Narnians, when they need it.

Lucy reaches for Edmund's hand, and he gives it a squeeze and smiles at her. "I'm going back to the others," he tells her, standing.

"Do you need my help?" she asks. They probably do. It's been selfish of her to sit here, sulking, waiting for a sign from Aslan.

"No, you stay." He nods at the image of the Lion. "You're doing exactly what we need you to do right now. Having faith."


End file.
